INTERVIEWS

Rebecca Seidel, President of the Cardiac Ablation Solutions Operating Unit at Medtronic, discusses the FDA approval of the DiamondTemp™ Ablation (DTA) system for the treatment of patients with atrial fibrillation.  This is the first FDA approved, temperature controlled, irrigated radio frequency (RF) ablation system currently available to deliver ablations.

Dr. Timothy Henry, MD, Lindner Family Distinguished Chair in Clinical Research and Medical Director of The Carl and Edyth Lindner Center for Research at The Christ Hospital discusses coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) a type of non-obstructive coronary artery disease that causes decreased blood flow to the heart muscle, affects the smallest arteries, and won’t always show up on a regular exam. (The condition used to be called Syndrome X, and patients were assumed to be experiencing anxiety or a psychological issue rather than a cardiac one.) He talks about the warning signs and the developing treatment options in the space.

Garrett Bain, President of EcoGen BioSciences in Grand Junction, Colorado, discusses the increased demand for CBD therapeutics.  He talks about the difference between hemp and cannabis and the associated therapeutics.  He also talks about the withdrawal of the FDA’s proposal to regulate the over-the-counter sales of CBD, and what this means to the industry. 

Scott Megaffin, CEO of Adastra Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a company focused on the treatment of cancers with high unmet needs (such as high-grade gliomas), discusses positive top-line data from their Phase 1b clinical trial conducted by the National Cancer Institute evaluating zotiraciclib (ZTR/TG02) in combination with temozolomide (TMZ) in patients with recurrent high-grade gliomas, which have a near-100% mortality rate and very limited therapeutic options.  He also talks about Adastra’s plans for the future development of ZTR.

Astellas Oncology has announced the three finalists for the 2020 C3 Prize (Changing Cancer Care).  One of the finalists, Lisa McKenzie is here to share her vision in Changing Cancer Care with “You Night Empowering Events: A narrative therapy storytelling course that helps cancer patients articulate their life’s journey, find their inner strength, and encourage others with cancer”.  The finalists will pitch their ideas to an expert judging panel of leaders in business, innovation, and cancer care, with cancer activist and entrepreneur Bill Rancic serving as emcee, at a virtual pitch event on March 23, 2021.

Marc Meachem, Head of External Affairs U.S. at ViiV Healthcare, discusses a recent report released by ViiV Healthcare called “Tal Como Soy/Here as I Am” which analyzed multiple factors that contribute to the disproportionate impact on Latinx LGBTQ+ men’s ability to access preventive care and HIV treatment.  He talks about how this report and learned insights can help healthcare professionals improve care and access. 

Returning guest and study author, Steve Shak, Chief Medical Officer at Exact Sciences discusses results presented at SABCS (San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium) from the Phase 3 RxPONDER (Rx for Positive Node, Endocrine Responsive) study, one of the largest randomized, prospective clinical trials in women with node-positive, hormone receptor-positive (HR+), HER2- early-stage breast cancer.

John Huemoeller, CEO of AXIM Biotechnologies, an international healthcare solutions company based in San Diego targeting oncological and COVID-19 research, discusses three first-of-their-kind COVID-19 neutralizing antibody tests. They have developed the world’s first rapid diagnostic test for detecting COVID-19 neutralizing antibodies and are waiting on EUA approval based on its proven test’s accuracy in blood and serum.

Dave Marver, CEO of ONWARD, discusses the work they are doing with both non-invasive and implantable neuromodulation technologies to improve the quality of life for people with spinal cord injury. The company just enrolled the first patient in its clinical trial, Up-LIFT, which is testing the safety and effectiveness of ARC Therapy™ in restoring hand and arm function in people living with spinal cord injury.

Paul Brennan, President and CEO of NervGen Pharma Corp, developer of treatments related to nerve damage and neurodegenerative diseases, discusses the struggle for financial backing for the development of drugs to treat conditions such as traumatic brain injury and stroke. He compares this to the ‘money’ available to finding an effective treatment and cure for Alzheimer’s disease.